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Brunch

Brunch/ RECIPES

Breakfast Burritos For The Freezer

I’ve made these twice in the past 2 weeks.  My family LOVES them, and I love that there is always something in my freezer when I hear “MOM, there is nothing to eat!”

I started out with 12 eggs.  I prefer feeding my family organic eggs from a local farm.  Fresh is best!

 

I cracked them all in a cup and used my handy dandy most favorite thing ever–my Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Hand Blender.  If you have ever thought of buying one, DO IT, and use the above link if you so please?  If you do, I will get a lil’ something to help with buying those darn expensive organic eggs!

 

I bought a bag of shredded potatoes from Trader Joes.  I saw on Pinterest that you could cook them on your waffle maker.  I think I needed to use more oil.  I didn’t want to, so mine are not at pretty as the ones on Pinterest, but it worked!  Plus, I would be dividing them up over my burritos so pretty was not important.

 

My not so pretty potatoes.

 

I laid out 12 burritos.  Ugh.  I keep misspelling that word.  Burritoes instead of burritos.  Remember, there are no toes in burritos.

 

I scrambled my eggs.  I don’t add any milk or water when I scramble eggs.  I’m not sure why.  I guess I like to keep it simple.  I added seasoning salt and pepper.

I then sprinkled them with cheese.  I went very light on the cheese.  My kids complained about wanting more cheese next time, but they still devoured them!

I then added the potatoes as the finished cooking.  I made 3 batches with the waffle iron.  My kids took the left over shredded potatoes and have been making their own potato snacks in the waffle iron.  I love that they make their own, but I MUST teach them how to clean that thing.  Cleaning waffle irons take patience, all those little squares!

I wrapped in parchment paper, and put in a ziplock.

 

When my kids wanted one, they would unwrap and put in microwave until hot.  We did have some issues with the insides being still frozen while the outside was too hot, I need to fiddle with our microwave settings.  We found if we cut them in half while still frozen, that helped.  My solution was to keep these in the refrigerator.  When I saw that the girls were eating them for afternoon snack and breakfast, there was no need to freeze.  With 3 girls and a husband, 12 burritos can easily be eaten in less than a week.

If you want to add meat to these, sausage or bacon, click here to see where I got the inspiration.  She makes a meat version.

Breakfast Burritos For The Freezer


12 eggs
12 tortillas
1 cup cheese
3 cups frozen shredded hash browns
s & p

Blend & scramble the eggs. Season to taste.  Put about a cup of hash browns on your waffle maker, close and cook until lightly brown.  Repeat 2 more times (or brown up in a pan on the stove, according to package directions.)  Divide eggs among 12 tortilla shells. Divide cooked hash browns among the 12 tortillas.  Sprinkle each with cheese.  Roll up, wrap with parchment paper, put into a ziplock and freeze or refrigerate.  Will keep in freezer up to 4 months, in refrigerator 5 days.

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Brunch/ RECIPES/ Sides

Anytime Chia Pudding

This chia pudding is really a great little snack that is full of fiber and protein.  If you have tried my Breakfast Chia Oats, you will know what to expect with these.  This pudding uses the same ingredients, but instead of soaking overnight, you put all in the blender, which makes it ready to eat anytime! No waiting!  It is a smoother version of No Cook Breakfast Chia Oats.
We eat this blended pudding version of chia oats as an after school snack.  My youngest girl BEGS me to make this, especially if she has a soccer game.  Chia has been named the ancient “runner’s food” and I think she took this idea to heart and craves them before big games.
Simple, wholesome ingredients, and takes only minutes to throw together.
Banana, your choice of milk, oats, chia, vanilla.
{not pictured-peanut butter & maple syrup}
 
Chia seeds and I are becoming fast friends.  Why?
 
~the are jammed packed with plant protein and minerals, healthy fats and fiber
~they provide more plant based Omega 3’s than any other food, even FLAX
~they have 5 GRAMS of fiber PER TABLESPOON!
~they are flavorless and partially dissolve in juice, soups, stews, shakes etc..
~they are FILLING!
 

 

Anytime Chia Pudding
1 banana (I like to use a frozen one)
1/3 cup regular oats
2/3 cup almond milk (or regular, soy or coconut milk) 
2 Tbls Chia seeds
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbls peanut butter or almond butter
2 Tbls maple syrup, honey or agave nectar (if more sweetness is needed)
 
Put all in blender.  Blend until smooth.  There will be some slight texture from the chia seeds and oats.  For a smoother texture, let mixture sit for a few minutes, then blend again.
Enjoy!

 

_________________

This nutritional information below includes:
 1/3 cup oats, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and 1 small banana.

 

If you add 2 Tbls peanut butter it brings the total to
 13 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein!!
Not bad for a snack. 🙂
*On days I need a big protein boost, I will add a scoop of protein powder and some extra liquid.
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Brunch/ RECIPES

Muffin Tin Baked Eggs

muffin tin eggs

I have a friend named Thomas who is responsible for the above picture and for introducing me to the concept of Muffin Tin Baked Eggs.

  These are the best kind of recipes, ones passed and eaten among friends.  

This recipe is perfect for entertaining and eating among friends as they can choose what they want in their eggs from a buffet of fillings.  These would be great served with fruit salad, croissants, juice and coffee.  Maybe some skillet herbed potatoes?  MMmm.

I made these for brunch last Sunday and they were a hit with my kids and so simple!  Basically, you grease the muffin tin, put whatever fillings at the bottom of the tin, then crack an egg over the top.  You can use any ingredient to flavor, really anything you would put in an omelet could be used here.

Here are some suggestions

 

cheese, {swiss, cheddar, feta, etc}

onions or green onions

bell peppers

mushrooms

meat {ham, bacon, sausage, chicken, turkey}

asparagus

spinach

tomato

fresh herbs

feta cheese

peas

carrots

broccoli

avocados

salsa

 

Muffin Tin Baked Eggs No Recipe Recipe

Spray with cooking spray or oil thoroughly a muffin tin.  Put a spoonful of salsa, or some finely diced mushrooms & onions (or your choice of whatever above ingredient) in the bottom of each tin.  Crack the egg on top, being careful not to bust the yolk.  Sprinkle with some lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce–whatever flavors you would like.  Bake for 10 to 14 minutes (or until firm, but yolk is still soft) at 400 degrees.  Easy!

To get the BEST experience of eating these eggs, eat them with this tune mixed by my friend Thomas aka Felonious Crunk.  Perfect egg eating song in my humble opinion!  Someday I will have to tell you how we met–it was through an angel.

 

 

 

 

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Brunch/ RECIPES

Chocolate Chip Granola Breakfast Triangles

Chocolate for breakfast?  Oh yes.  These little treats are hearty enough and healthy enough to be considered breakfast in my opinion.  I love how great they go with a good cup of coffee.  They are also a  nice little afternoon snack.

This recipe is inspired by one I found in
Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan RecipesShe calls them Granola Bars, but when I think of a granola bar, I want oowy, goo-ey and chewy!  These are not.  These are more like a hearty breakfast cookie.  They are not to sweet, which one of my girls complained about.  The other two loved them and so did I.  It was just a nice change to have a treat that is not overly sweet.

These triangles contain ingredients I always have on hand, so I will be making them often.  They are super easy, just throw all the ingredients into a bowl and stir!

Chocolate Chip Granola Breakfast Triangles
2 c of oats (her recipe called for instant, I used whole.  I’m not sure it matters..)
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce (or sweetened, whatever you have)
6 tbsp honey (original recipe called for agave nectar, again whatever you have)
4 tbsp chocolate chips (vegan or regular)
2-4 tbsp sugar (optional) (taste the dough. Not sweet enough for you?  Add a bit of sugar)

Stir all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  They will appear too dry at first, but they’re not–keep mixing!

Once combined, let the batter rest while the oven preheats to 325 degrees.

Grease a bread pan and pack the mixture down firmly and tightly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden, firm and light brown around the edges.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting.  Cut into triangles.

Variation
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Breakfast Triangles
Substitute 1 tbsp of peanut butter for 1 tbsp of applesauce.  Combine peanut butter with applesauce and heat in the microwave for 10 seconds so peanut butter softens.  Whisk together and use as directed.

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Brunch/ RECIPES

5 Ingredient Soft Granola Banana Bites

My friend, Carma, Mission B Fit, posted this recipe a few months ago and it is something we make on a regular basis here at our house.

 Why?

~I always have the ingredients on hand
~They are easy!
~They are healthy—bananas and oats!!
~They have no added sugar
~They are not overly sweet
~They fill little tummies
~The are great for snacks, breakfast and packed in lunches
~They make our home smell like I’ve been baking banana bread all day
~My kids beg me for them

5 Ingredient Soft Granola Banana Bites
(inspired by Banana Cookies @ MissionBFit)

3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats 
1/3 cup oil  (I use 1/4 c. coconut oil plus water to make 1/3 c.)
1 cup dried cranberries (or dates or raisins)
1 tsp vanilla
_______________
Optional ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts in place of 1/2 cup of the cranberries

The Directions:
Mash bananas
Stir in oil & vanilla
Add oats, cranberries and optional ingredients.Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, this softens the oats.
Drop by teaspoon on to ungreased cookie sheet.  
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  

*The cookies will get slightly brown on top and will harden up like chewy soft granola bars when they cool.  Don’t over bake!

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Brunch/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES

My Favorite Go To Breakfast

I’m a BIG breakfast eater.  I’m not one that can skip breakfast, especially eating a plant-based diet.  As you know, I love my oats.  Lately, I have been LOVING the ease of Frozen Breakfast Oatmeal Pucks.  I am out right now, and definitely notice it!  It is so easy to just throw a puck in the microwave, heat, then add a bit of frozen berries on top, stir and EAT!  I sometimes add a splash of almond milk, but most of the time it is not needed.  Whole grain toast with Earth Balance spread, a banana and locally roasted, organic coffee makes this breakfast perfection in my mind.  
Another fav of mine is Coconut Milk Vanilla Creamer.  Oh. My. YUM!  It turns my coffee into vanilla creaminess without the yucky additives of most creamers.
If I am in a huge hurry, I will just grab a mason jar, add raw oats and frozen berries, add almond milk and stir.  Put on lid.  Grab banana.  By the time I am ready to eat (usually in the car!:)) the berries have thawed just enough and the oats are softened just enough. It really is GOOD!  I will add some raw, organic agave or pure maple syrup for sweetness if needed.  This method leaves no excuses for skipped breakfast!
What is your favorite go-to breakfast?
Do you love oats as much as I do??

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Brunch/ HOME/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

Oatmeal Freezer Pucks

If you have read New Nostalgia for any length of time, you will know I am a huge oatmeal fan.  I eat oats in some form every morning for breakfast, and usually end up snacking on another form of them during the day.  I eat them raw, cooked, in smoothies, in breads, in cookies and muffins.  I love my oats!

In the summer, my favorite fast breakfast is raw oats, almond milk, and frozen raspberries.  I let it sit a couple minutes for the oats to soak and raspberries to thaw.  It is a great on-the-go breakfast when thrown in a small mason jar.  I sweeten it with date paste or maple syrup.  Yum.

Now that it is getting chilly outside, I want the comfort of a warm porridge in the morning.  I love steel cut oats and their slightly chewy texture, but did not like the amount of time they take to prepare in the mornings.

Enter Trader Joes.

I found already prepared steel cut oats in the freezer section of Trader Joes.  I loved how they came, frozen in pucks and ready to heat.  They had simple ingredients with no preservatives.  I loved everything about them, especially that they spurred on the idea of this post!

The price at TJ’s is good, but I knew I could make them for much less money, and sugar.  So I did!
I bought Bob Mills Steel Cut Oats.  Any brand will do!

 Prepare according to package directions.  Let cool slightly.  Pour into muffin tins.  I did not grease mine, it was not necessary.

It made 6 large pucks and 12 small ones.  I had a couple leftover servings in the pan and ate ’em up!

Here is how I placed them in the freezer.  A simple cookie sheet in between the pans did the trick. 

I froze them solid, then took out of the freezer.  I filled my sink with an inch of warm water, let the bottoms of the pan soak in it for a couple minutes, then used a knife at the edge of each puck to pop them out.  They came out very easily. 

The small muffin pucks were the perfect size for my three lil’ muffin girls.  They love helping themselves to a frozen oatmeal puck in the morning.

The larger size was perfect for me!  

Keep in freezer bags, and pull out when needed.  Microwave 2 minutes for large, 1 minute for small.  Stir.  Heat in additional increments of 30 seconds until heated through.  Serve with maple syrup & cinnamon, and whatever toppings you prefer!

 More Of My Oatmeal Loves:
Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Oatmeal
Cinnamon Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal
2 Minute Steel Cut Oats (another fast way to make them)
Oatmeal Whole Wheat Quick Bread
No Cook, Overnight Chia Oatmeal
Oatmeal Fully Loaded
Chewy Granola Bars/Best Chocolate “Candy Bar”

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